The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors, and more particularly, to a pin and socket connector system which employs a tuning fork style socket contact.
Electrical contacts using a two-piece pin and socket connector system employing a tuning fork style socket contact have been used in the art. The difficulty with such a contact system is that the pin contact often tends to run into the base of the tuning fork shaped socket if the pin is not kept in proper alignment. In other words, if the pin is not properly aligned as the pin and tuning fork style socket contact are brought into full mating position, the pin contact, being an unsupported straight beam, will tend to crumple and become damaged. This causes the loss of a single pin contact and signal connection and will require the pin contact to be replaced. Accordingly, a need exists in the art for a pin and tuning fork style pin and socket connector system which prevents or eliminates the pin contact from being damaged when the pin is inserted into the mated position through the throat of the tuning fork style contact.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a pin and tuning fork style pin and socket connector system in which the pin is guided or prevented from being damaged when brought into a mated position with the tuning fork style socket contact.
The present invention provides a socket connector for a pin including a module body with a plurality of slots. A plurality of wafers are installable in a corresponding plurality of slots wherein each wafer has multiple offset tuning forks. The module body has a coring wall with multiple wedge shaped protrusions for each of the offset tuning forks.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a socket connector for a pin connector including a module body having a plurality of slots. A wafer block is installable in a corresponding plurality of slots wherein the wafer block has multiple offset tuning forks. The module body has a coring wall with multiple wedge shaped protrusions for receiving each of the offset tuning forks.
Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown and described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description thereof are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.